KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Fazal-ur-Rahman has directed the police to have zero tolerance on misuse of loudspeakers, ‘wall chalking’ and hate material, banners and signboards, and asked the police department to remove all that promote hate.

The chief minister, who was presiding over a meeting on law and order situation, also reviewed security arrangements for Youm-i-Ali to be observed on Ramazan 21. He highlighted the need to further develop close coordination with Rangers, intelligence agencies, including special branch for foolproof security arrangements.

Briefing the chief minister, Inspector General of Police, Sindh AD Khowaja said that a detailed security plan for Youm-i-Ali procession has been worked out. Besides sealing the entire route by closing the side lanes, surveillance cameras would also be installed on the route.

The IGP said that 4,244 policemen would be deployed in the South Zone which includes 191 pilot escorts, 3,069 along the route, 185 on the security of the processions to be taken out from Lines Area Imambargahs, 317 on dispersal route of mourners, 250 at entry points, 64 at hospitals and 168 would be for post incident plan.

Security arrangements for Yaum-i-Ali outlined

He further said that in the South Zone, six Imambargahs have been declared as most sensitive. They are three in Clifton, two in City area and one at Lyari while the number of sensitive Imambargahs is 40. The processions start from 18 to 21 Ramazan, the IGP said, and added that 53 majalis have been declared as sensitive therefore security plans has been made accordingly.

Additional IG Karachi, Mushtaq Maher said that coordination meeting with Ulemas, dignitaries, organisers have already been held. Peace committees at district and sub-divisional level have been reorganised by SSPs and SPs. Volunteers teams and scouts have been roped in for police assistance.

The Adl IG Police said that the work to remove all kind of hate material, wall chalking, banners and sign boards has begun and would be completed by the evening.

DIG South Azad Khan said that obstruction/patharas from the route of procession have been removed. Surveillance of terrorists released on bail and those put on Fourth Schedule of ATA has started too.

The chief minister was told that there was close coordination with district administration and local bodies for cleanliness of periphery and routes of the majalis and processions.

It was decided that the code of conduct issued by home department would be strictly implemented.

Giving details of the procession, the IG Police said that it would start from Nishtar Park and the route would be Purani Numaish, Saddar, Empress Market, Regal Chowk, MA Jinnah Road to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah. The participants would be around 15,000.

Mr AD Khowaja said that route of the procession has been divided into six sectors and 15 sub-sectors. Each sector would be commanded by SP and DSP respectively.

Under the plan around 40 ambulances would be deployed at the designated points. The police deployment has also been planned under which entire route would be sealed by closing the side lanes. 927 spots have identified which include 308 buildings, 157 roof tops of the buildings and 462 building gates would be guarded by commandoes. The entire route would be scanned by bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs. A designated police party would carry out physical search of the entire routes. Surveillance cameras would be installed on the entire route as well.

The IG said that all the vehicles joining procession would be issued stickers by traffic police.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2018